Bill Aimed At Reducing Opioid-Related Deaths Passes Through Kansas House

Kansas is one of only three states that does not allow first responders to carry a drug to reverse opioid overdoses. A bill unanimously approved by the Kansas House on Thursday would change that.

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The measure would allow first responders to administer the drugs to people experiencing overdose symptoms after taking opioid drugs including heroin and some prescription drugs. It would also allow pharmacists to provide the potentially lifesaving medication to patients and bystanders without a prescription. It would grant immunity from civil and criminal liability in administering the drug.

The way Kansas law stands now, when first responders arrive at the scene of an overdose, they have to try to keep the person breathing long enough to reach a hospital, where doctors can administer the medication. That's because doctors can only prescribe overdose-reversing drugs to a person who is considered to be at risk, such as someone using opioids for chronic pain.

Drugs like naloxone, called "opioid antagonists," can stop potentially fatal symptoms of a prescription opioid or heroin overdose.

Republican Rep. Greg Lakin of Wichita said first responders would be able to treat people at risk of an overdose death on the scene or in transport to the hospital rather than waiting until they get to an emergency room physician.

"We run them to the ER, to the hospital, and lose precious time," he said.

Lawmakers voted 24-16 against the effort to overturn the veto. Supporters were three votes short of the two-thirds majority of 27 votes needed in the 40-member chamber. The vote came hours after legislators in the House had voted, by a narrow margin, to override the veto.

Kansas lawmakers have the tall order of writing a new school funding formula this year to replace temporary block grants. The work so far has been behind the scenes.

There have been school funding proposals introduced in the Kansas Legislature, but committees have yet to advance any plans.

Republican House Speaker Ron Ryckman says he wants something that’s sustainable and is predictable when it comes to costs for the state and funding for schools. Ryckman wants to have a plan in place by April, but that’s not a hard deadline.

A Kansas Senate committee started discussions on a bill Monday that would repeal a key piece of the 2012 tax cuts and raise personal income tax rates. A committee vote on the plan could come as soon as Tuesday.